Credit: © Sipa USA
US President Joe Biden deliver remarks in honor of labor unions
WASHINGTON (77WABC/AP) – President Joe Biden pledged a half-billion free rapid tests for Americans, increased support for hospitals under strain, and a redoubling of vaccination and boosting efforts.
In a speech Tuesday afternoon, Biden detailed major changes to his COVID-19 winter plan. A cornerstone of the plan is Biden’s decision for the government to purchase 500 million coronavirus rapid tests for free shipment to Americans starting in January. People will use a new website to order their tests, which will then be sent by U.S. mail at no charge, the White House said.
Biden emphasized data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that show the unvaccinated are eight times more likely to be hospitalized, and 14 times more likely to die from COVID-19.
The administration is also planning to deploy an additional 1,000 troops in medical professions to hospitals as well as direct federal medical personnel to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Vermont. There are also plans to send out additional ventilators and equipment from the national stockpile besides expanding hospital capacity to handle infected patients.
In addition to purchasing the 500 million rapid at-home tests, the government will also establish new testing sites, some of them in New York City, and use the Defense Production Act to help manufacture more tests. There will also be pop-up vaccination sites, hundreds of new people to administer the vaccines and new rules that make it easier for pharmacists to work across state lines.
Starting this week, I will be deploying hundreds more vaccinators and more sites to help get more booster shots in arms.
I’ve ordered FEMA to stand up new pop-up vaccination clinics across the country where you can get a booster shot.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 21, 2021
